I love Rush Limbaugh. Love everything about the man, love his show, love his wit, love his fluid reading voice, love his talent. A week without Rush is a sad week is I see it.
But for so long I've had some thoughts about Rush, thoughts about some things he doesn't explain to my satisfaction. Also, I think Rush Limbaugh lacks something major in his program and I'd like to take this opportunity to lament.
Beyond my love of Rush, a moment of solemn appreciation for the incredible talent the man possesses that will likely never be equaled, much less excelled, by any radio personality of our era. The man is good at what he does and a bow to excellence is warranted.
Of course many despise Rush Limbaugh, as would be the case with such a polarizing figure. I expect brickbats and rabid anti-Rush comments might accompany this post. Which is fine but anti-Rush zealots are not who I am writing to here. I write to those who listen to Rush Limbaugh, enjoy his show, humor and wit, but might too want this beloved commentator to dwell more on specific issues that trouble me.
This audience of Limbaugh's would be the fine conservative women of our country. Who constantly get short shrift from this paragon of talk radio excellence.
As I understand it, Limbaugh's audience demographics consist mostly of males. I don't know why this is so but if true, then I can certainly think of some ways Rush could get some more female listeners. The hand that rocks the cradle rocks the world, as the saying goes. By breezing over conservative female listeners, and they are out there, Rush's influence will always be lacking something major and beautiful.
I have some ideas how Rush could boost his female audience but for now, my first soft complaint about Rush Limbaugh's show and how it leaves me empty at times.
It's the "Liberal" rant.
Yes, I understand the concept of ideology and firmly subscribe to Thomas Jefferson's theory of "countervailing forces"; the notion that this country will occasionally go through swings in ideology that will ultimately move the ideological pendulum from right to left and back to center- as social, legal, even international needs warrant. During the sixties the country was undergoing serious changes to civil rights and racial inequality. There was a strange war in a strange land that required conscripted soldiers to fight. The situation during that era was rife for change. It was a scenario screaming for needed change and through Liberal thoughts and ideas, needed change came. In this new century, and especially after that attack on our peaceful citizens on 9-11-01, comes the time to pull the pendulum back a bit by applying more conservative thought and stern policy to insure this country's peace and prosperity.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Sister Ray
Women tend to like feeling more than thinking. They often would rather focus on relationships, a la Dr. Phil, than political discourse, a la Rush. But the ones who do want to think about abstract ideas will gravitate to his show. It's an alternative to soap operas or talk shows. They may just not mention it to their friends. Other women will tend to look at you funny if you prefer political discussion to relationship discussion. At least that's been my experience.
By the way, I'm using "thinking" and "feeling" in the Myers/Briggs sense of the terms, not necessarily as a measure of IQ.
2 - [MR]Chip
Liberals are against democracy? I think you need to study these 'liberals' a bit more...
3 - Haley
I keep trying to think of ways that I could identify with your feelings about Rush Limbaugh not appealing to women, but I can't. Maybe I am unable to satisfactorily suspend judgement because like you, I think the guy is great, but I've never felt alienated or not included in the "club" so to speak. I am young, and quite new to ideological political thinking, so that may be the difference. However, my mom has been the main person in my family that has been constantly listening to Rush, since I was much younger. I understand your point, I guess personally I don't identify with politics very much at all on the basis of my gender; I understand that many people do, possibly more women, and that may be their reason for not being in tune with Rush. As for him calling that out-there chick honey, I never thought twice about it. Most men I know call me honey, sweetie, darling, etc., and my dad always did. I've never felt offended, to me it either softens their approach or is just "being nice". Like I said though, I may be biased, because I just love to listen to Rush. Also, examples of liberals and liberalism are all over the place; I guess it's just assumed that we have it thrown in our face so often we know what it is. You're a blogger, go read some crazy leftist blogs to get a taste, then go listen to the Democratic leaders talk, or read the latest screwed up court decision by some liberal judges. It is everything that is displayed by that ideology that the term liberal encompasses. As most clear-thinking conservatives know, it is all bad for our country, so we don't want to let it gain any ground.
4 - Bliffle
There's more to being a conservative than just beating up liberals. Limbaugh fails the test: he has no discernible principles. Try the test on yourselves: abandon anti-liberalism for a week and see what you have to think and say.
5 - JM
It's not pure, undefined "anti-liberalism" that produces a conservative, that is correct. For people that strive for intellectual honesty, it is the application of critical observation, analysis, and reasoning skills.
By applying this essentially important function of every human mind, logical analysis overwhelmingly leads one to embrace conservative principles. Unfortunately, this is a rapidly declining skill that is mostly unused in today's society. If it were practiced more, I dare to say there would not be such a sharp ideological divide within our country.
6 - Bliffle
JM:
" For people that strive for intellectual honesty, it is the application of critical observation, analysis, and reasoning skills.
By applying this essentially important function of every human mind, logical analysis overwhelmingly leads one to embrace conservative principles."
But then when I conclude, reasonably, that it is wrong for the government to spy on my telephone and email, someone like Limbaugh jumps up and says I'm wrong, that I'm not a conservative, that it's OK for the government to spy on me.
I think I'm a conservative, Limbaugh says he's a conservative, and we have a contradiction, the bane of logic.
" Unfortunately, this is a rapidly declining skill that is mostly unused in today's society. If it were practiced more, I dare to say there would not be such a sharp ideological divide within our country."
I think that the self-styled conservative Limbaugh is as subject to emotional decision-making as anyone. It's not evident to me that every person claiming to be conservative is superior in logical reasoning. I suspect that for every logical conservative there is an equally logical liberal.
Besides, I think it's not proven that emotions are illogical or irrational. the emotions come from our desires to eat, survive, reproduce, protect children, and belong to community. What's illogical about that?
7 - Dan
It was a condescending "honey". But when the caller firmly, and immediately protested, Rush aquiesced. He is a gentleman.
The caller exhibited signs of moonbatiness, and Rush's tone throughout was one of mockery. I think it was deserved, but excessive. His show is about dismantling liberal silliness so I think interactions like that help his ratings.
For me, the term "liberal" is just a word for the sorts of perfection society can afford to indulge in when times are good. It's more concerned with equal outcome, and less with fairness, but that's what well meaning people are concerned with. When people aren't trying to kill you, you can afford to be worried about greater good, and ecology etc. When times are bad, you have to focus on reality.
8 - MCH
Personally, I don't believe Limbaugh is truly a conservative, I think it's just an act to make money. Deep down I believe he's really a liberal, I mean his actions certainly contradict his words:
**Dodged the draft during the Vietnam War, receiving a medical deferment for a cyst on ass
**Was fired from six different disc jockey jobs, became a couch potato weighing up to 330 pounds
**Drew unemployment for eight weeks after being fired by the Kansas City Royals
**Married and divorced three times
**Drug addict hooked on oxycontin
**Illegally purchased black market pharmaceuticals
**source: "The Rush Limbaugh Story" by Paul Colford
9 - Pat Fish
Besides, I think it's not proven that emotions are illogical or irrational. the emotions come from our desires to eat, survive, reproduce, protect children, and belong to community. What's illogical about that?
=============
Well Bliffle, I quote you above because as often as I disagree with you, the above words couldn't be truer.
Which is exactly the problem I have, problem being a whisper here because I love Rush, is that he pooh-poohs emotions a bit too much.
Emotions do, well what you say above. There IS a reason for them. We get scared and guess what, we run or we stay and fight. The emotion propels us. Woman "govern" their lives by emotions and it's a damn good thing one of the sexes does. But like anything, that left side of the brain and right side of the brain need to be in some sort of sync.
MCH....all those things you listed are true about Rush except I do think he was married only twice. As for being unemployed 8 weeks after being fired from the Royals, well why is this a bad thing, a besmirchment to one's character? I'm betting plenty of us have been laid off, fired, etc...and had a period of unemployment before finding another job. To offer that tidbit as some sort of really bad thing is lame.
As for his drug addiction, well he's never made a secret of that. As for his ballooning weight, well the man went on a diet and has kept it off. And supposedly he went into rehab to cure his drug addiction.
Those are just lame, lame, lame. Nothing in that list is terribly different than the things any one of us average joes have had to deal with.
10 - MCH
"Never trust a draft dodger."
- Phrase repeated ad nauseam by Rush Limbaugh while bashing Bill Clinton's evading service during the Vietnam War
Limbaugh's military record:
**Used student deferments from Southeast Missouri University to avoid serving
**Received the draft number of 152 in the spring of 1970 lottery, well below the cut-off number of 190
**After dropping out of college in 1970, was awarded a medical deferment by his family physician for a pilonidal cyst on his derierre
**25 years later, Limbaugh lied about his medical deferment, telling listeners he was exempt due "to a football knee," and that his "lottery number was too high to be drafted."
...Lame, lame, lame...
(source: THE RUSH LIMBAUGH STORY by Paul Colford, Chapter Two, "Beating The Draft")
11 - MCH
"MCH....all those things you listed are true about Rush except I do think he was married only twice."
No, it was three. Three marriages, three divorces.
"As for being unemployed 8 weeks after being fired from the Royals, well why is this a bad thing, a besmirchment to one's character? I'm betting plenty of us have been laid off, fired, etc...and had a period of unemployment before finding another job. To offer that tidbit as some sort of really bad thing is lame."
I guess the difference is that plenty of us haven't become multi-millionaires, based in part on the premise that we believe in "smaller government and fewer entitlements."
"As for his drug addiction, well he's never made a secret of that...And supposedly he went into rehab to cure his drug addiction."
Only because he was busted.
"As for his ballooning weight, well the man went on a diet and has kept it off."
I mentioned this only because the image of a 330-pound couch potato drawing unemployment contradicts Limbaugh's self-portrayal as a "rugged individualist."
12 - Michael J. West
Nothing in that list is terribly different than the things any one of us average joes have had to deal with.
This is true, Patfish, but what makes the list interesting is that it's full of things that he tends to bash others for having dealt with. Referring to people on welfare and unemployment as "couch potatoes" who are too lazy to work; talking about gays undermining the sanctity of marriage when he has undermined its sanctity three times (and yes, it was three divorces: Roxy McNeely, Michelle Sixta, and Marta Fitzgerald...Marta, btw, was married when she started seeing Rush, which doesn't say much more about the sanctity of marriage); insisting that any celebrity who does drugs should be removed from the public sphere forever, and insisting that anyone who purchases them illegal be prosecuted and jailed.
I agree that these are things that many, many people have had experiences and/or problems with. But I think Rush should agree with that too, and stop implying that anyone who has had those problems is an immoral, unprincipled liberal.
13 - Matthew T. Sussman
Why all the fuss over Rush? Just like Michael Moore, he's a song-and-dance man who is -- I thought everyone knew this -- in the entertainment industry. Their legitimacy ranks right down there around Access Hollywood. They say things to make money.
And someone actually wrote an entire chapter on Rush Limbaugh's personal flaws? Wow. I wonder when the story of Al Franken's ingrown toenails hits paperback.
14 - Pat Fish
You know, just a hunch here, but any one of us, if forced to be very public and defend an idealology (not that Limbaugh is "forced" but you know what I mean) would probably have things we've done, said or espoused that would be in conflict with that idealology. In the scheme of things, I think Limbaugh's are right small. He is a self-made man and yes, he got fired a couple of times. This makes him more human, more in tune with the common people.
And yes, Matt, dear Lord Rush is an entertainer of the highest order. He's the best there is. The man makes me laugh right in the middle of a long nap.
As for that day he called the lady "honey"...it was really a Freudian slip. In that, well I must admit it's probably how Rush really thinks about women.
The difference between this "honey" insult- and hey, I'm from Merryland. I call everybody Honey, though I'm a woman. - to the female conservatives in his audience is Rush will not experience some massive call for his resignation. Women don't complain about those things. And there is a difference in calling someone "honey" during a serious political discourse engaged in this past Friday, and calling someone honey in a more social setting. I wonder if Rush will ever get it.
But hey, I put it out there. What the world REALLY needs is a female Rush Limbaugh.
That's the ticket.
I've appreciated all the intelligence discourse, especially from the more liberal writers.
Because Rush Limbaugh is a sucessful man with a talent and there's just no sense denying it.
15 - Galt
I tend to agree with you that Limbaugh's use of the term "liberal" is somewhat disconcerting although for different reasons than those you've given. I'm a political scientists by training and, as Rush says so often, words mean things. Liberal does not mean what he thinks it means. It does not mean what most Americans think it means. Under the classic understanding of the term Limbaugh is, himself, a liberal. There are very few true Conservatives on the political scene today although there are, obviously, a enough. More than anything this indescriminate and incorrect usage of the term liberal tends to confuse our allies (and enemies) because they are using the term correctly. When we call George Bush a conservative we do ourselves harm on the international front. When we label a President, or representative of the United States as a liberal or conservative, our allies apply certain schema to that label and react accordingly. If we use the wrong term they react to incorrect schema. It'd be far better if Mr. Limbaugh and others would use these terms properly, but I don't see that happening.
16 - MCH
"And someone actually wrote an entire chapter on Rush Limbaugh's personal flaws? Wow."
Well, it was a biography of Limbaugh's life, by Paul Colford, which also included his personal successes. In Chapter 2 ("Beating the Draft") however, Colford does devote the entire chapter on how Limbaugh - who has made a pretty penny in part by calling Bill Clinton a draft-dodger - scammed the draft and then lied about it years later on his radio program.
I don't feel that he dodged the draft was that big of a deal (although it is curious that someone who wraps himself in the American flag like does would skip out on a war due to a pimple on his keester), but I do think the fact that he didn't have the balls to tell the truth about it does say something about his lack of character.
17 - historian
You say, "Germany decided to murder all of its Jewish citizens to create a united Europe governed by the Third Reich and purged of Jews, we took action." It wasn't until AFTER the war that the world knew of the full extent of the Holocaust.We took action because of Hitler's attempts at world domination.
18 - Mr. Comment
Wow. Its amazing (depressing?) how many people believe the crap that comes out of Rush Limbaugh's agenda-driven show. I have a dream that his audience will somehow wake up; that it isn't THAT easy to steer the public opinion...
Too bad journalism is almost completely dead, and RL (and his kind) are the reason why. Don't listen to him, PLEASE turn him off, he's not trying to inform his listeners, he's trying to propagandize them into a way of thinking that benefits his corporate masters.
19 - roger nowosielski
Get over it. It's old news.
20 - Cindy
lol meanie
21 - Cindy
haha it's Roger's dark, angry side! :-)
22 - roger nowosielski
I just wanted to close this thread. And yes, I've got it too.
23 - Clavos
I just wanted to close this thread.
Not your job, Roger. Not anybody's, for that matter...
24 - roger nowosielski
Well, I tried.
25 - bliffle
"the incredible talent the man possesses that will likely never be equaled, much less excelled, by any radio personality of our era."
Huh?
What about Ira Glass? Peter Slagle? Even that guy, what's his name Carson Wheeler out in Lake Whatchamacallit? What about Joe Frank? And the Maliocci boys, Tom and Sam and Bob and Joe, well you know?
Oh, you mean COMMERCIAL radio! I get it. Well, not much competition, is there?